The boy and I held our first Super Bowl party, which involved two days of frantically cleaning our apartment for four hours of friends who couldn’t care less how our apartment looks. But it all ended with pizza, beer, and delightful conversation. Oh, right, and football, I guess.

I can completely relate to the cleaning sentiment. Bein from Australia the superbowl isn’t on my radar, but every gathering we ever have at our place goes the same way. I sometimes think of having an event at my place, just to get it clean :)

When I was a student at Tulane, I learned from experience to get out of town after Fat Tuesday because the following citywide hangover grew oppressive. It feels a little like the day after Mardi Gras here on this gray, rainy Monday in New Orleans, but more satisfying. One of the nuttiest Super Bowls in memory capped off a terrific week for New Orleans. Perhaps I stayed a couple days extra in the city with my family because I don’t want to go home.”